REGULATION OF HUMAN RENIN SECRETION AND RENIN TRANSCRIPTION BY QUANTITATIVE PCR IN CULTURED CHORIONIC CELLS - SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF CYCLIC-AMP AND PROTEIN-KINASE-C

A quantitative PCR was developed to measure human renin mRNA in chorionic cells under various stimuli. An internal standard consisting of a mutated renin mRNA with an insertion of 60 bp was designed to quantify the reaction. Quantitative PCR is a suitable tool for studying human renin gene transcription from a low number of cells. Forskolin alone had no effect on either renin mRNA levels or renin production whereas 10-7 M PMA stimulated renin mRNA levels and renin production 5- and 2.6-fold, respectively, after 24 hours incubation. PMA and forskolin acted synergistically to increase both renin mRNA levels and renin production in a dose-dependent manner. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.